1. Field of the Invention
The present invention pertains to cooking apparatus. More specifically, the present invention pertains to portable cooking apparatus primarily for outdoor use.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Man has probably been cooking food since he discovered fire ages ago. First outdoor cooking was probably performed over open fires or in pits filled with coals. Outdoor cooking today, of course, is much more sophisticated.
Outdoor cooking, utilizing a number of methods is very popular today. There are many different designs of outdoor cooking apparatus. However, in most of these designs, some sort of cooking grill is provided for support above a fire or charcoal coals. Usually the food, specifically meat, is placed on the grill and cooked on one side for some period of time, then turned over and cooked on the other side. Turning the food above a hot fire is not always easy. For this reason, some designs incorporate a pair of grills between which the food may be placed for cooking on one side and then turned to the other. Some of these designs, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,058,172, provide a pair of grills which pivot about a fixed axis. In others, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,619,951 and 3,323,443, the food is placed between a pair of grills provided with a handle by which the grills may be turned over.
Another primary object of many outdoor or portable cooking apparatus is the capability of being easily stored, transported and erected for use, While some designs produce excellent results for patio or backyard cooking, they do not lend themselves to compact storage and transportation for picnics and/or traveling to locations away from the home. The fact that many designs continue to be developed indicate the continued desire for outdoor cooking apparatus which utilizes many of these features.